Expecting His Secret Heir (8 page)

“I heard James Blackstone tried to keep KC and Jacob apart...” Sadie prompted, sensing the woman enjoyed telling her stories.

“Indeed he did. And KC had every intention of telling Jacob about the baby, but she was fearful—for herself and her family. James threatened their livelihood, you know.”

“No, I didn't.”

“Oh, yes. He owned the land Lola's is built on. Luckily, Jacob and Aiden have deeded it over to KC's mother. You know, so she could feel secure.”

Sadie murmured her approval.

“Jacob Blackstone is a good guy. Not like his grandfather. None of the boys are, but there's a lot of men who are none too happy about having the responsibility of a child sprung on them. A lot who would walk away. Ignore it. Not Jacob. And soon there will be a wedding to celebrate, once the, well, sadness is done.”

For Lily. They would definitely need some celebration after losing a woman so important to all of them.

As if she were a hunting dog, Sadie suddenly caught the deep timbre of a man's voice and knew immediately that Zach had arrived. Her eyes searched restlessly until she spotted him coming out from the kitchen area, where she knew there was a back entrance.

Apparently Ms. Saben didn't miss her interest. “So that's the way it lies, huh?”

Sadie swung guilty eyes in the older woman's direction. “What?”

“Oh, honey, don't be embarrassed.”

Too late. The dreaded heat had bathed Sadie's cheeks already.

“There's not a woman your age who hasn't pined over that one...and a few not your age, too.” Ms. Saben giggled like a schoolgirl. “Talk about another good man. One who's had a hard life, but powered through. Nothing like his daddy, either.”

And just like that, the seed was planted. There was a theme in both their families' lives—unwanted children. Did Zach have any kids out there he'd neglected? The heart that had yearned for him for five years said he was too responsible for that, too protective. But people were crazy sometimes. Did he have an ex hovering on the fringes, waiting to pounce or holding a child as leverage?

One glance at Ms. Saben told Sadie she had an inkling of the direction of her thoughts, so she might as well be honest. “Does he date a lot?”

Admiration shone in the older woman's gaze. “Honest answer? No. I haven't seen or heard of him dating more than three or four women—why, since he got home from the air force, I guess.” She studied Zach as he greeted his mother behind the bar.

So did Sadie. The strong, protective stance drew her, as did the hug he gave his much smaller mother. Her heart instantly melted.

“Maybe that's why...” Ms. Saben mused.

Sadie turned her way. “What?”

Ms. Saben's gaze met hers. “He loves his mama.”

Sadie nodded. “And his sister.”

Approval lightened the older woman's gaze. “Men who know how to take care of women don't normally play around, because they know how it affects the woman being played with.”

Like a ton of bricks, the knowledge hit Sadie. Zach hadn't been playing with her—he wasn't that type of man and didn't have that kind of reputation. And she'd ruined it by walking away...even if she'd done it to protect him.

She couldn't face him with that knowledge so fresh in her heart. Not tonight. Maybe not ever.

Ten

S
adie had been to several impressive mansions throughout her lifetime. Her boss's home was essentially a villa at the end of a lane full of overblown palatial residences that offered every amenity imaginable, including an entire apartment for her in the refurbished barn whose rent came out of Sadie's salary.

But Blackstone Manor gave the impression of a family home despite its grandeur, starting with the red-rimmed eyes of a very fragile-looking butler. “Good afternoon, madam,” he said solemnly, prompting an urge to hug him close and comfort him with hot tea.

Neither of which Sadie did, because this wasn't her home or her rodeo. But her natural sympathy, coupled with the fact that she genuinely liked the Blackstones, made it hard to remain objective.

Lily Blackstone had lingered into January. The family had been able to celebrate Christmas at home, and the announcement of another brother's engagement, without the black cloud of death intruding. That had come with the frigid winds and gray skies of deep winter.

Sadie had been around Black Hills long enough now to give her a tempting feeling of belonging. Some days she wished she could live forever in this sleepy friendly town, with its good, its bad and its quirks.

And except for a brief flight home one weekend to visit her mom, she had.

She and Zach continued to participate in a dance of sorts, a waltz that separated them and brought them close again, but not nearly close enough. Sadie began to recognize that she was procrastinating. She didn't want to have to make a decision, didn't want to figure out what she'd do back home if she didn't get the money to bail her sister out.

At least she was being paid for her current job, even if it meant phone calls from a yelling, screaming Victor almost every night.

Today, she wouldn't think about that. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing how much he upset her, and she would hold on to the knowledge that his private investigator hadn't had any more luck digging up dirt on Zach than she had.

She greeted Mr. Callahan, Ms. Saben and the Batemans as she made her way across the front parlor. Finally she was beginning to feel welcome. How would she ever live without this when she returned to Texas?

Christina and KC remained at the back of the parlor near the fireplace while many townspeople mingled throughout the room.

“Hello, Sadie,” KC said, pulling Sadie into a hug. “We were hoping to get to see you.”

“I'm so sorry,” Sadie said, feeling the inadequacy of having no true way to comfort them.

“Thank you,” Christina replied, ever gracious. “I'm glad you could come by.”

Sadie glanced around. “This place is incredible.”

KC grinned. “I felt the same way when I first stepped inside. I bet your photographer's senses are at full attention.”

“Definitely.”

The sound of a large group of people in the foyer had them all turning their heads in that direction. Several couples who had all arrived at the same time made their way to the Blackstone brothers first.

“Looks like we're about to have our hands full,” Christina said, patting Sadie's arm. “We'll see you more in a little while, but please feel free to explore.”

“And Zach is around here somewhere, too,” KC added, her smile looking a little sly to Sadie.

KC hadn't made any secret of her approval as the two women had gotten to know each other more, and had hinted a time or two that she didn't understand why Sadie and Zach didn't at least go on one date. Obviously Zach had not filled his sister in on their history. Sadie wasn't going to do it for him.

It was simply another dark mark on the friendships she was creating here. She told herself she need never see these people again after she betrayed one of their own, which only reinforced the notion that she didn't want to cut them out of her life.

Dangerous thinking.

Sadie wandered around the room, studying the architecture and antiques while she conversed with more of the townspeople. Several of the men she'd gotten to know at the mill introduced her to their families. The Batemans led her across the breezeway into a glorious dining room that had a full spread of food laid out.

They met up with another couple and were distracted talking, so Sadie wandered to the front of the room to look out the window. A man in a dark suit stood to one side of the front windows. He reminded her of other men she'd just passed in the breezeway and front parlor. They were so still they almost faded into the woodwork.

Security.

Then Sadie saw another man approach. She took in the dark tanned skin and close-cropped hair for the first time since she'd returned. He wore a dark suit and tie, along with dark sunglasses to protect his eyes from the winter glare. He paused beside the first man, the angle of his pose allowing her to see the wire for a communication device running up to his ear.

The entire time Sadie had been back in Black Hills, the impact of Zach's new position hadn't really become a reality to her. He'd been directing cleanup and safety crews at the mill. There were other days when she didn't see him at all, and she knew he had taken over an old, established house not far from the town square as his new business headquarters, but she'd never really asked what actually running a security firm entailed.

It made sense that a family who had been targeted for over a year and a half would want this time of grief to be peaceful and safe. They knew the most prominent people in the county, not to mention in the region, and all of the brothers had contacts elsewhere. A lot of people were going to be in and out of this house over the next week.

As he glanced up at the window, it hit home that it was Zach's job to ensure all ran smoothly and safely. Ever the protector. Ever the hero—without all the glory.

Looking at him only brought home just how opposite they were in this situation. He was here to protect those around him. She was here to betray the one they trusted.

Turning, Sadie took her shame with her as she walked away. Surveying the people mingling and eating in the room, she noticed a small woman at one end of the sideboard picking up a half-empty tray and moving toward a door at the end of the room. Sadie hurried her steps to reach the door just as the woman did.

With a smile Sadie held it open so the woman could slip through unhindered. Sadie herself had performed the maneuver many times, but a helping hand had always been appreciated...and rarely offered.

“Thank you so much, sweetheart,” the woman said.

Sadie followed her into a large kitchen filled with the scents of baking. “No problem,” she replied, feeling her body relax almost instantly into an environment that held some familiarity for her. Being behind the scenes was much more her forte. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Stacks of prepared foods in boxes lined several feet of counters. Coolers ran the length of the wall beneath the windows. A glimpse into an open pantry showed shelves lined with dishes and glasses. “Are you doing all of this yourself?” Sadie asked.

“Bless your heart for asking,” the woman said, wiping her now empty hands on her apron before extending one toward Sadie. “I'm Marie, the Blackstones' cook and housekeeper.” She glanced around at the organized chaos. “And while they know I can work miracles, no, they didn't leave me to do this alone. But the girls who are helping me have taken a quick break.”

She shrugged her tiny shoulders, making her Kiss the Cook apron dance. “I thought we would have a bit of a lull, but I was obviously wrong. Normally Nolen would help, but he's got his hands full, too. But those girls have been on their feet all day—they deserve to at least eat lunch sitting down.”

“And you don't?” Sadie asked, but she knew exactly how this went. When an event was in full swing, you simply performed the most urgent task, then the next, and the next, until everyone was satisfied. But this event would go on for a few days, which could get grueling.

Reaching for an apron hanging nearby, Sadie draped it over her dark gray dress. “Just point me in the right direction.”

They chatted seamlessly for a good twenty minutes as they prepared and replaced platters. Sadie brushed aside Marie's protests as she loaded the dishwasher. It needed doing, so she did it.

Until a six-foot-two hunk of dark charisma walked through the doorway. Sadie couldn't help it—her every motion stopped, including her breath. Not too long, but long enough for Marie to notice.

Long enough to earn her a knowing grin from the older woman.

“So you're still here,” Zach said.

If she hadn't been glancing in his direction, Sadie wouldn't have known he was speaking to her. She straightened. “Where else would I be?”

“When you disappeared, I assumed you went home without at least saying hi.”

Her heartbeat resumed, a little faster this time. For a moment, she'd thought he meant here as in Black Hills, not here as in Blackstone Manor. “No, I'm just trying to lend a hand.”

His dark gaze slid over to Marie. “She's good at that, isn't she?”

“Most definitely.”

He approached the older woman and folded her carefully into his arms, as if she were too fragile to be in charge of an army's worth of food. “I'm sorry, Marie.”

Tears prickled behind Sadie's eyes as the older woman seemed to melt into him. She'd given Sadie, and probably everyone else, the impression that she was coping just fine, thank you very much. But one hug and the facade shattered. She didn't cry, but the pain showed on her aging face nonetheless.

“I'd been with her since she was a baby,” Marie said.

“I know,” Zach murmured, so tender Sadie had to look away.

“The car accident was hard,” Marie went on. “But she was still here, still with us. Then the stroke...she's really been gone since then, but it wasn't real, you know.”

The words struck Sadie's heart unexpectedly. There were times when her sister got so sick that she disappeared into unconsciousness for days. One time the doctors had to put her in a medically induced coma. But she always came back...there was always hope. Lily Blackstone had had none.

A rustle of fabric drew Sadie's gaze once more. Marie had straightened and was smoothing down her apron. “I wish she could have been here to see all the boys come home.” She smiled at Zach, though it was a little shaky around the edges. “Your sister. Carter. This new young'un on the way. She would have loved all of it.”

Life. It had been all around Lily, but she'd been unaware. Amber was the same, in certain ways. Her life was a series of doctor visits, debilitating treatments, recuperating and quiet nights at home with her mom and sister.

How much longer before she had no life at all? The weight of the thought sat on Sadie's chest, constricting her breath.

“Yes, she would have,” Zach said. “She created a beautiful family.”

“A legacy,” Marie agreed.

And Amber would have none.

Suddenly the walls wavered. Sadie knew if she didn't get out of there, she was going to embarrass herself by either weeping copiously or passing out. Neither option made her very happy.

Her throat was too constricted to speak, to excuse herself. She lurched for the back door, stumbled through a closed-in porch, then burst into the weak sunshine. Not sure why, she kept moving forward, as if the motion would somehow jump-start her body into behaving again. But suddenly she was halted by a set of heavy hands on her shoulders.

Her body was pulled upright, then back against a solid, muscular chest. The warmth soothed her, making her aware that she was out in the cool January air with no coat over her dress. Just an apron. The thought made her want to laugh, but her lungs were strained.

Zach leaned in close, burying his face against her neck. His heat surrounded her. “Just breathe, baby,” he murmured against her ear.

* * *

Zach felt Sadie's body unlock as if he'd turned the key. Breathing deep, she rose up on her toes. Then she collapsed back against him.

Leaving him feeling like he'd won the lottery.

He sensed her beginning to relax. The feel of her ribs expanding beneath his palms. The loosening of her muscles against his chest. The sigh that finally graced his ears.

He waited for her to sag as the tension drained from her, but Sadie was too strong for that. Instead her knees locked. She didn't pull away, but she wasn't relying solely on him for her stability, either.

That was the essence of the woman he'd come to know.

And she was kind, compassionate, hardworking. Today, he was determined to learn something new.

Stepping back was a hardship, but he substituted holding her hand for the embrace. A poor substitute, his body said. He led her to a bench near this end of the sloping back lawn. During the summer, irises bloomed plentifully here, but the now-barren leaves didn't detract from the richness of the view.

He took a quick inventory of her. Breath steady. Eyes closed. Pulse slowing beneath his palm. He waited a few minutes more before pushing.

“Tell me what that was about.”

“A panic attack,” she said simply. “I've had a few over the years, but they're so rare that I never feel quite prepared for them.”

Her deep breath drew his gaze down to the fullness of her chest, even though he knew that's not where his focus should be right now.

“Marie's words...they just brought up some bad memories for me.”

“Did you lose someone you love?”

She shook her head, but it wasn't really an answer—more the movement of someone trying to deny reality. “Not yet...but I will.”

He waited, trying to wrap his mind around her words. Was it her mother? That was the only relative she'd ever mentioned.

“I have a sister...a baby sister.”

Zach felt his world tilt slightly, then right itself.

“She was diagnosed when she was a teenager. The cancer is terminal at this point.” A sad smile tilted the corners of her lips. “She's a trouper—it's been six years since her diagnosis. They said she would only live two.”